Set out on an Oceanwide Expeditions Antarctica cruise and experience the outermost edge of human exploration. Oceanwide’s Antarctic cruises immerse you fully in the incomparable terrain of Antarctica, introducing you to a diverse host of animals while also engaging you in exhilarating expedition cruise activities like kayaking, hiking, mountaineering, scuba diving, and even camping. Your Antarctic expedition cruise will thoroughly acquaint you with Antarctica’s wondrous ice wildernesses, bringing out your inner explorer as you tour colossal glacier fronts, dazzling berg-filled bays, and shorelines surrounded by towering, snow-swept mountains.Also available during Antarctic cruises aboard our new vessel, Hondius, are special science-based activities that delve into the incredible Antarctic ecosystem.
For countless people over several centuries, Antarctica represents many things…
Antarctica is the ice-packed secrets of the Ross or Weddell Seas. It is the snowy southern islands as well as the lush, bird-filled flora of the sub-Antarctic. And Antarctica is the snowy peaks, vast penguin colonies, and whale-abundant waters of the Antarctic Peninsula. Antarctica means seabirds, whales, and near-limitless other animals. But whatever else Antarctica is, it is without doubt an incomparable cruise adventure.
Join Oceanwide on an Antarctic expedition cruise, and experience exploration in its native environment.
Cruises to Antarctica
Falkland Islands - South Georgia - Antarctica
Meet at least six penguin species
OTL29-24 This Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and Antarctic Peninsula cruise is an animal-lover’s dream come true. The expedition explores one of the last untamed areas on Earth – a land of ruggedly beautiful landscapes and amazingly varied wildlife.
m/v Ortelius
Cruise date:
2 Feb - 21 Feb, 2024
Berths start from:
11000 USD
Antarctica - Basecamp
The best activity voyage in Antarctica
OTL25-24 The Antarctic Peninsula Basecamp cruise offers you a myriad of ways to explore and enjoy the Antarctic Region. This expedition allows you to hike, snowshoe, kayak, go mountaineering, and even camp out under the Southern Polar skies.
m/v Ortelius
Cruise date:
12 Dec - 24 Dec, 2023
Berths start from:
4550 USD
Falkland Islands - South Georgia - Antarctica
Meet at least six penguin species
HDS26-24 This Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and Antarctic Peninsula cruise is an animal-lover’s dream come true. The expedition explores one of the last untamed areas on Earth – a land of ruggedly beautiful landscapes and amazingly varied wildlife.
m/v Hondius
Cruise date:
4 Jan - 22 Jan, 2024
Berths start from:
11000 USD
Antarctica - Discovery and learning voyage
Classic Antarctica including Deception Island
OTL27-24 This Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands cruise delivers you into a landscape of dark rugged rock, pure white snow, and a fantastic variety of wildlife. Come say hello to whales, seals, and thousands of penguins.
m/v Ortelius
Cruise date:
5 Jan - 15 Jan, 2024
Berths start from:
6050 USD
Atlantic Odyssey incl. Antarctic Peninsula to Cape Verde
HDS30D25 The Atlantic Odyssey cruise visits some of the remotest islands in the world, crossing the migratory paths of Arctic Terns, Long-tailed Skuas, other birds, and a variety of whales as they make their annual expeditions north for the breeding season.
m/v Hondius
Cruise date:
14 Mar - 25 Apr, 2025
Berths start from:
15435 USD
Antarctica cruise video
Antarctica photo
Antarctica story
Crossing, Kayaking, Camping: Three Antarctic Adventures
Crossing the Drake Passage rewards thousands of tourists every year with one of the most incredible paradises on planet
Antarctica blog
Oceanwide Expeditions donates €1060 to nature charities
This year we will donate €1,060 to the following conservation charities based on guest reviews: World Wildlife Fund, Bir
Antarctica experiences
See the highlights you may experience:
Antarctica wildlife
See the highlights you may experience:
Map of
Antarctica cruise reviews
A dream comes true
Wilderness means everything to me. It has always been my dream to see the wildlife in the REAL wild. Not zoo or sanctuary. By joining this expedition, my dream has finally come true and fulfilled beyond my expe
Read full review »The Amazing Antarctica
The first trip of the year for the Ortelius to the Weddell Sea and we were treated to not only spectacular weather, but so much active wildlife and an expedition team that was second to none. While Oceanwide c
Great Antarctica Cruise with Cheeseman Ecology Safaries
We had a wonderful experience with your Plancius crew during our recent Cheeseman Antarctica safari. The service was exceptional and the food was great! In fact, the food was better than I had on my Viking Ri

Fantastic trip
Well done. Very committed, excellent improvising skill in ever changing weather conditions. Strickt on the ball and very seriously dealing with biosecurity risks. All in all a great adventure for those who want
Read full review »
Amazing Antarctica
I cannot fault the professionalism of the Plancius crew - the ship was terrific, the service five star, the staff were welcoming, friendly, helpful and knowledgeable - no question went unanswered and nothing wa
Antarctica FAQ
Where is Antarctica?
Antarctica is the fifth largest of the seven continents. Antarctica has two large indentations which are the Ross Sea and the Weddell Sea. The nearest continent is South America. The total surface of Antarctica is 14.2 Million square kilometres (abou
Read more »What is the time zone in Antarctica?
The time zone in Antarctica is the same as the time zone in New Zealand: GMT + 12 hours. On regular Antarctic trips we operate in the same time zone as Ushuaia, Argentina: GMT – 3 hours.
Read more »Is it dangerous to visit Antarctica?
No, the remote location, frozen landscape, and unpredictable weather can make tourism operations in Antarctica tricky, but Oceanwide Expeditions has the right experience, knowledge, and expertise to stay safe in the Antarctic.
Read more »What is the climate at Antarctica?
Antarctica is the coldest and also the windiest continent in the world. The lowest temperature on Earth was recorded in Antarctica. There are three climatic regions in Antarctica: The interior of the continent: This is the extremely cold area of A
Read more »What is the Antarctic landscape like?
Antarctica consists of two main areas. East Antarctica (Greater Antarctica) and West Antarctica (Antarctic Peninsula). More than 98% of Antarctica is covered with ice. The land is covered with ice and snow. Antarctica’s two parts are separated
Read more »What kinds of plants and animals are there in Antarctica?
The vegetation at Antarctica is limited to around 350 species of mostly lichens, mosses, and algae. Various sea birds, seals, and penguins are often seen in Antarctica such as the Emperor Penguin, Adelie Penguin, Orcas, Humpback whales, Weddell Seals
Read more »About
Antarctic Weather
Witness some of Earth’s most beautiful scenery in one of Earth’s least hospitable environments. Antarctica is the coldest, highest, windiest, and driest of all Earth’s continents, though it grants our cruise passengers access to many of the most dazzling sights our planet has to offer. Gray rock peaks punch out of the wind-carved snow, passing icebergs dot the dark blue waters, and wildlife abounds that can be seen nowhere else – all serving to remind us that we are truly in another world.
Along the Antarctic coasts (where we travel on our cruises) temperatures can reach as high as 10°C (50°F) during a hot summer day, and on a regular day can plummet to barely above freezing. But just because you’re in the coldest spot on Earth doesn’t mean you have to be uncomfortable: Our vessels are consummately designed to make your voyage as pleasant as possible. And if you’re still unsure what clothing to pack, we’ll give you all the information you need to stay warm and dry before you join us on our exploration of the Antarctic.
Facts About Antarctica
- Antarctica is larger than Europe
- Because Antarctica experiences so little precipitation, it is technically a desert
- The name “Antarctica” comes from a Greek phrase meaning “opposite to north”
- Almost 62% of the freshwater ice on Earth exists in Antarctica. If all that ice melted today, the world’s oceans would swell by about 60 meters (197 feet)
- The coldest temperature ever recorded was at the Antarctic research station Vostok, on July 21, 1983, when the thermometer dropped to a teeth-chattering -89.2°C (-128.6°F), cold enough to shatter steel
- Despite the cold, the biggest documented mass of living creatures — a 10,000,000-ton school of krill — was spotted in the Antarctic
- The first confirmed sighting of Antarctica was in 1820, though it would take almost a century — until 1911, to be exact — before a human being set foot on the continent
Travel to Antarctica
An Antarctic cruise means visiting a part of Earth that has remained largely unchanged since Aristotle first gave rise to the notion of Terra Australis, or the ”Land of the South”.
Taking one of our cruises also means acquainting yourself with the real survivalists of the Antarctic: the seals, whales, and so many penguins who call the region home.
Our Antarctica cruises offer you an experience unlike any you’ve had. Take a Zodiac cruise among the towering blue-white icebergs, kayak alongside curious whales, introduce yourself to the inquisitive penguins, dive into a new world under the sea, camp beneath the polar sky, or climb to a rugged vista for a bird’s-eye view of the landscape. To see a list of all your many options, check out our dedicated Antarctica cruise page.